How do you get anything done?

[Shanelovr]

Please tell me what i'm doing wrong.

I read all the time about women reading while they nurse or knitting, or various other tasks that require at least one free hand, but how do you do it? Ds is nearly 6mo and he won't eat or sleep unless he has my full attention. 100%.

If i try and read he pops off and grabs the book, if i'm at the comp he pops off and plays with the comp, and whats worse is that he gets mad, as if he wants to nurse, but WITH me(i guess thats the only way to say it). Do you mommas HAVE to hold the breast they're nursing from for your lo to eat? or do they do the work themselves? i'm just trying to figure out what i need to change, or whats going on with my babe.

TIA

[cascadesmama]

oh mama, i can imagine that would be frustrating. dd is 3.5 months old and she does the "work" by herself. i can usually read without disturbing her at all. i can type one handed but it usually does disturb her and cause popping off/waking her up if she has fallen asleep. i tried reading my paper copy of mothering a few weeks ago while bfing though and that was a complete and total failure. one thing i do often is listen to audio books on my ipod while i nurse her. that way i can still give her the eye contact and both hands are holding her but i'm not going crazy with boredom. it also helps me to sit there and hold her a while after she has stopped nursing so that i know she's asleep enough to try to put down.
good luck!

[LadyCatherine185]

i have never been able to do anything other than nurse while DS is nursing. he gets too distracted by EVERYYYYTHING. up until a few weeks ago, I even had to go into a dark, quiet room. now, finally at 15 months he will nurse in the living room with the lights on..

That said, when he was around 6-7 months and started crawling, I was able to put him down and let him play on the floor for periods of time (like 20-30 minutes a couple times a day) and get a little bit of a break.

I know it is so hard Mama. But it will be over before you know it, and your baby won't want to be held and will want to be running around exploring and you will miss your tiny baby.

Have you tried babywearing to get things done?

[HappyFox05]

That can be incredibly frustrating, esp when reading about all these other people who can read, etc, while they nurse. Can you listen to music/books on tape or watch TV while you nurse him?

Another perspective - DD let me do anything I wanted while she nursed. A few months ago I saw a lady nursing a little baby & just interacting w/the child - cooing, looking into her eyes, smiling, talking, etc. I thought, "Gee, I wish I'd done more of that with Anna". I realize that may be ALL you get to do while he nurses, but it's still something to think about.

[averlee]

At about 6 mos old, my daughter wouldn't tolerate me doing my own thing while nursing either. it drove me bonkers. but she is now 30 months and still nursing, and not nearly as pesty about it either! books on tape is a great idea. maybe chatting on speakerphone? or switching things up so you can see out the window, out the front door, maybe even use a mirror to watch the tv in another room?

[Chloe'sMama]

I was able to read, etc until she was around 4-5 months, then it would distract her and she would want to play with whatever it was....

I read 5 books in the first 3 weeks of her life.... it was great. Now that she is 17 months, no way can I do anything while she is nursing.... She has a hard enough time focusing.

[mamadelbosque]

I've perfected the boob balancing on boppy with DS2 nursing. I've been able to read or mess on the computer for weeks now with DS2 and was able to do so with DS1 eventually (though it took longer than with DS2). You just have to figure out a position for them that works for you...

[bean-e]

My 4 month old will only nurse in dark and quiet places. That means she basically will not nurse anywhere other than in our bedroom with the curtains closed and white noise on. So we go home when it's time to eat. I feel quite trapped, but I look at the fact that she is above the 100th percentile in height and weight which might mean that being sensitive to her is helping thrive.

[ShwarmaQueen]

I found that 6 mos marked an acute awareness development and DD was so distracted by nursing that it took the 'dark quiet room' technique to get her to nurse longer than 5 seconds. I didn't really try too hard to get her to nurse because when she was really hungry, she did eat, even if it wasn't the gluttonous amounts that I was accustomed to her eating.

[TXmom2]

haha..my 4 mo. old nurses basically all day, nonstop. I'm lucky if she'll play or sleep for 15 minutes at a time. I can usually make it to the bathroom or grab a quick bite to eat. If I try to take a shower, she's usually back awake and crying by the time I get out I haven't dried my hair in 4 months....
She fusses, pops off, etc. if I try to read or talk on the phone.
I can usually be on the laptop if I keep it off to the side and type one-handed..it can't be where she sees it.

That said, I know it wont last forever so I tryto enjoy it

Today has been hard. I'm trying to pack and get ready for our trip tomorrow. It's taken all day to get 2 loads of laundry done...haven't gotten to putting it away yet...

[Pookietooth]

Some babies are just more demanding than others. The sling helps but sometimes you just have to wait until some other adult is home...

[Shanelovr]

nak. go figure

thanks everyone. i really appreciate all your reply's. i guess i was really just looking to know that I'm not the only one who has a hard time with it sometimes. most days are great. i love breastfeeding ds and I'm so grateful that i get to stay home with him all day long. sometimes i just get frustrated with the constant swaying motion i'm in, and not being able to be mobile or do anything. ds is an angel though, truly a gift and i know its not his fault. he just needs me. all of these things i know, it's just hard w/out anyone to talk to about these things. being isolated at home all day with no one to talk to doesn't help and the only 2 women in my family who breastfed didn't do ap. so its hard to ask for advice because i know my gut won't agree w/ their advice. thanks so much for listening to me whine.

[averlee]

"Do you mommas HAVE to hold the breast they're nursing from for your lo to eat? or do they do the work themselves?" I didn't catch that the first time. I don't know what you mean? I never hold the breast while nursing. I hold the baby so her mouth can reach my nipple. I thought holding your breast while nursing could give you a plugged duct.

[Bokonon]

Originally Posted by averlee

"Do you mommas HAVE to hold the breast they're nursing from for your lo to eat? or do they do the work themselves?" I didn't catch that the first time. I don't know what you mean? I never hold the breast while nursing. I hold the baby so her mouth can reach my nipple. I thought holding your breast while nursing could give you a plugged duct.

It really depends on how your breasts are shaped and hang - some women (like me) have to support their breast while baby is nursing, or the nipple will fall out of baby's mouth, or baby won't be able to breathe, etc. I have large breasts and Peepers would suffocate if I didn't hold my breast for her to nurse. I only ever had one plugged duct early on when I was nursing DS - so in almost 29 months of nursing like that, one plugged duct. Even lying down, I have to support my breast for her.

[Shanelovr]

well, i don't know about and haven't experienced plugged ducts but i have to hold it for him. with my left breast not so much because i can usually let him rest on my arm and nurse but i have to with my right. SEE that's what i don't get. i didn't think other mommas HAD to be so "hands on"...

[Shanelovr]

Originally Posted by Bokonon

It really depends on how your breasts are shaped and hang - some women (like me) have to support their breast while baby is nursing, or the nipple will fall out of baby's mouth, or baby won't be able to breathe, etc. I have large breasts and Peepers would suffocate if I didn't hold my breast for her to nurse. I only ever had one plugged duct early on when I was nursing DS - so in almost 29 months of nursing like that, one plugged duct. Even lying down, I have to support my breast for her.

THIS is me exactly. i have to help him, and i do have larger breasts so his airway gets blocked especially when nursing from my right side.

[averlee]

with large breasts, maybe try this trick- bring baby's tummy in tighter to your tummy, and draw him downward so his nose is at your nipple, bring his chin in closer so his nose is free from the giant boobness. have you ever tried to experiment positions with a doll? my midwife showed me, with a doll, how when you position the baby's chin closer their nose goes free. also, maybe you could experiment with different bras. some bras that have only a nipple cutaway, rather than a sling, will keep your nipples very front-n-center while nursing? I have large breasts- they were huge those first months- and I understand about the creativity involved.